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Utah Marijuana Laws 2022

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Jecris G

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Utah Marijuana Laws 2022

Utah Marijuana Laws – Marijuana Law in Utah

On Monday, March 2, 2020, the first Utah medical cannabis “dispensary” opened in Salt Lake City. After two years of legal cannabis sales, Utah’s medical cannabis program has made improvements. Patients can now have medical marijuana delivered to their home or have cannabis delivered through a drive-thru. This is especially important for maintaining the health of the medically vulnerable in the light of COVID. And in 2022, a range of bipartisan bills passed during legislative session expanding Utah’s medical cannabis program. These Utah marijuana laws aim for clearer protections for patients to expanded access to cannabis for qualifying conditions and more regulatory labeling. Learn more about the laws below. 

These new 2022 laws in Utah for medical weed are as follows:

 Hemp and CBD THC Amendments

These laws make it illegal to distribute, sell, or market any industrial hemp product with a THC concentration of more than 0.3%.It also makes it illegal to transport these materials out of state and manufacture, sale or use of cannabinoid products to add to traditional foods and beverages, attract children or smokable flowers.Additionally, the involvement of the Utah Department of Agriculture in regulating hemp cultivation is eliminated.This bill was passed and signed by the governor on 21st March 2022.

State amendment in the definition of marijuana

This changes the definition of cannabis or “marijuana” in current Utah code to include all species of the cannabis genus and all parts of the genus which are growing or not. It contains synthetic equivalents of substances found in the sativa cannabis plant. Any component or cannabinoid extracted or isolated from plants, including extracted or isolated tetrahydrocannabinol.This bill passed as was signed by the governor on 22 Mar 2022.

Medical Cannabis Patients Protection Amendment

This Utah law would amend the Utah Medical Patient Protection Act to ensure that government employees are protected from discrimination for having a medical card, which it says should be treated like any other prescription. This cannabis bill only covers Utah’s government employees, not private citizens.This bill passed as was signed by the governor on 23 Mar 2022.

Medical Cannabis Governance Study

This legislation would require Utah’s Health and Human Services Interim Committee to create a subcommittee to study and recommend a single state agency to oversee all regulations and laws related to Utah medical cannabis. In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Department of Health should report to the sub-committee if requested.This bill was passed and signed by the governor on 21st March 2022

Medical Cannabis Act Amendments

This bill made amendments to the provisions and laws related to the production and distribution of medical cannabis in Utah. Notable law changes include the following:

  • Clarifies the distinction between allowable hemp products and medical cannabisProducts based on their tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and THC analog concentration;
  • Requires certain retailers marketing a hemp or cannabinoid product to include a statement that the product is not cannabis or medical cannabis;
  • Makes unlawful the act of distributing, selling, or marketing an industrial hemp product that contains a certain amount of THC or a THC analog;
  • Includes an aerosol as an approved medicinal dosage form;
  • Allows the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) to issue conditional medical cannabis caregiver cards in relation to designating patients with a terminal illness;
  • Allows UDOH to issue a conditional medical cannabis pharmacy license when a license renewal process is not complete before the pharmacy’s license expires.
  • This bill passed as was signed by the governor on 23 Mar 2022.

    • Medical Cannabis Access Amendments

    This bill and Utah law amends provisions regarding patient access and medical professionals in relation to medical cannabis. It includes the following:

    • Requires a hospice program to provide at least one qualified medical provider;
    • Renames the Cannabinoid Product Board as the Cannabis Research Review Board;
    • Requires physician members of the board to be qualified medical providers;
    • Adds acute pain for which a medical professional may generally prescribe opioids as a qualifying condition for a limited supply of medical cannabis;
    • Requires a recommending medical provider to consider a patient’s history of substance use or opioid use disorder before recommending medical cannabis;
    • Requires certain individuals overseeing certain higher education medical training to be qualified medical providers

    This bill passed as was signed by the governor on 24 Mar 2022.

    Utah Marijuana Laws & Legalization

    These are some of the laws and changes brought in Utah Cannabis Law in January-December 2022. We can see that lawmakers and criminal defense attorney are listening and continue to implement programs and Utah laws that address the needs of patients, but it must be ensured that cannabis is used for medical purposes and not for recreational purposes. For more information on these laws or other marijuana laws, speak with your criminal defense lawyer. 

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